Last Second Kick Sends Farmingdale by Massapequa in County Final Showdown

It all came down to the foot of Zach Kolodny, and the junior kicker calmly nailed a 32-yard field goal to give the Dalers a 29-26 victory for their second straight Nassau County Championship.

It wasn’t easy though, as Massapequa scored a late touchdown with 46 seconds remaining to tie the game at 26 apiece, but Farmingdale drove down the field to win the game.

“This is what we’ve been working for since we’re little kids,” Curtis Jenkins, who rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns, said. “This team has so much fight, and a championship showdown against Massapequa is what it’s all about.”

The Dalers looked like they’d get instant offense off the opening kickoff, as Tom Kennedy returned it for a touchdown, but a penalty against Farmingdale erased the score.

The teams traded possessions throughout the first quarter, with Massapequa having one promising drive. But, on a critical fourth down on the first play of the second period, Coach Kevin Shippos decided to go for it, and the Chiefs were stopped near the Farmingdale goal line.

On the ensuing drive, the Dalers struck first, as Curtis Jenkins ran it in from 5-yards out, but Zach Kolodny missed the extra point. It was 6-0 Farmingdale at the half.

To start the second half, Massapequa got the ball in Farmingdale’s territory, but Matt Caracappa was stopped on fourth down and the Chiefs gave the ball to the Dalers. Once again, on the ensuing drive, Quinn hit Kennedy from 57-yards to give Farmingdale a 12-0 lead. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

The Chiefs responded, as Caracappa hit Craig Berge from 14-yards out, but Berge missed the extra point, and it was 12-6 Farmingdale. The Dalers added a 9-yard TD run by Jenkins on their next drive and added a 2-point conversion to increase their lead to 20-6.

With 5:40 left, Nick Capuana scored from six yards out on an outside rush to bring Massapequa within seven, 20-13, but Curtis Jenkins broke out a 63-yard run on a direct snap to increase the lead to 26-13.

Jack Korber added a 1-yard TD run to trim the deficit to six, and then he added a 7-yard reception to tie it.

Then it was all about “the kick”.

“We practice the two-minute drill every week,” Kolodny said. “I was confident in our holder and our snapper. We work in drills for situations like this.”

“I have all the confidence in the world in him,” Coach Buddy Krumenacker said. “I’m proud of all of them.”

Farmingdale now awaits the winner of Floyd and Sachem North, who face off on Sunday.

STATS

FARMINGDALE

Passing

• Vinny Quinn: 6-of-8, 116 Yards, TD
• Tom Kennedy: 0-of-1

Rushing

• Curtis Jenkins: 27 carries, 239 yards, 3 TD
• Styvenson Hogarth: 3 carries, 27 yards
• Vinny Quinn: 8 carries, 20 yards
• Joe Lee: 1 carry, 4 yards

Receiving

• Tom Kennedy: 5 catches, 110 yards, TD
• Robert Jones: 1 catch, 6 yards

Tackles

• Joe Lee: 9.5
• Curtis Jenkins: 8
• Bryant Kenny: 6
• Keyshawn Petit-Frere: 5

MASSAPEQUA

Passing

• Matt Caracappa: 11-for-24, 129 yards, 2 TD
• Craig Berge: 1-for-2, 9 yards

Rushing

• Nick Capuana: 22 caries, 94 yards, TD
• Andrew Rogers: 7 carries, 57 yards
• Craig Berge: 4 carries, 28 yards
• Matt Caracappa: 8 carries, 33 yards

Receiving

• Craig Berge: 5 catches, 41 yards, TD
• Nick Balzano: 3 catches, 60 yards
• Jack Korber: 3 catches, 24 yards, TD
• Nick Capuana: 1 catch, 13 yards

Tackles

• Nick Balzano: 7
• Jack Korber 6
• Jake Fitzsimmons: 4.5
• Andrew Rogers: 4